BYZANTINE HISTORY I (324-1081)

Course Information
TitleΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΗ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Ι (324-1081) / BYZANTINE HISTORY I (324-1081)
CodeΙΒΥ601
FacultyPhilosophy
SchoolHistory and Archaeology
Cycle / Level1st / Undergraduate, 2nd / Postgraduate
Teaching PeriodWinter/Spring
CommonNo
StatusActive
Course ID280004803

Class Information
Academic Year2020 – 2021
Class PeriodSpring
Faculty Instructors
Weekly Hours3
Total Hours39
Class ID
600184296
Course Type 2016-2020
  • Scientific Area
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Digital Course Content
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
  • Greek (Instruction, Examination)
  • English (Examination)
Prerequisites
Required Courses
  • ΙΒΥ101 INTRODUCTION TO BYZANTINE HISTORY
General Prerequisites
It is recommended not to be selected by students who have not secured the course HBY 101.
Learning Outcomes
The gradual transformation of the Later Roman Empire to the Byzantine Empire of medieval times (“Romania”) and the main political, military and social developments from the 4th to 11th c. A.D.
General Competences
  • Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
  • Work autonomously
  • Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
  • Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The main objectives of the course are the synthetic approach and understanding of the main historical developments in the Balkan peninsula and Eastern Mediterranean world from the late 3rd to the 11th c. A.D., the familiarization with the gradual transformation of the Later Roman to the Byzantine Empire. The purpose of tutoring is also the methodological approach and analysis of the most important sources of the era and the performance of students in the use and interpretation of relevant sources. Week #1 Introduction: The transition from Rome to Byzantium (3rd - 4th c. A.D.). Byzantine emperors and imperial dynasties from 4th to 11th c. A.D. The sources of the era. Special characteristics and research problems. Assignments. Week #2 Constantine I as sole emperor (324-337) and the second Flavian dynasty (306/24-363): The rise to power. The reforms of Constantine. The new capital. Constantine and Christianity. The succession of Constantine. Week #3 The successors of Constantine I : Constantius II, Julian, Jovian and Valens. Week #4 The Theodosian dynasty, the Goths and Christianity: Imperial politics and the formation of a new society from the second half of the 4th c. to the first half of the 5th c. A.D. Week #5 The East under its own Emperor : The constitution, the institutions, the regime factors and the state ideology of the eastern part of the Empire. Week #6 The fall of the Roman West (395-476) and the stabilization of the East during the 5th c. A.D.: The german invasions and other factors led to the fall of the West. The reasons for the survival of the East. Week #7 Anastasius I (491-518), Justinian I (527-565) and his successors: Achievements and losses during the 6th c. A.D. Week #8 Byzantium in the 7th c. A.D.: The final transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages. The sources of the so-called “dark centuries” of Byzantium. The Rise of Islam and the Arab conquests in the Middle East and northern Africa. The Slavs and Bulgarians in the Balkans. A new society and a new empire. Week #9 The dynasty of Isaurians and Iconoclasm: The struggle with Arabs and Bulgarians. The conflict about Icons. Administrative and military changes. Week #10 Byzantium during the 9th c. A.D.: The end of Iconoclasm and the christianization of the Slavs and Bulgarians. Week #11 The so-called “Macedonian” dynasty and the strengthening of the Empire during the 10th c. A.D.: The Byzantine society and the state in the 10th c.. The expansion of the Empire in the East and the Balkans. Week #12 The Byzantine Empire during the 11th c. A.D.: From strength and prosperity to crisis. New administrative structures. Political instability and military weakness. The new enemies in the frontiers of the Empire (Turks, Normans and Pechenegs). Territorial losses in the East. The relations with the West. The historical developments from the Schism of 1054 to the First Crusade. Week #13 Summary of courses and conclusions : Review and discussion. General guidelines for the written examination.
Keywords
Rome, Byzantium, empire, Goths, Persia, Avars, Slavs, Arabs, Turks, Bulgarians, Constantine, Theodosius, Justinian, Heraclius, Isaurians, Iconoclasm, christianity, church, state, administration, society, themata
Educational Material Types
  • Slide presentations
  • Multimedia
  • Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
  • Use of ICT in Course Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Description
The teaching of the course shall take place mainly through lectures with simultaneous use of visual material, such as view tables and cards, maps, photos of landscapes and archaeological findings through the Power-point. There will also be a study and methodological approach of key medieval texts.
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures1806
Written assigments
Total1806
Student Assessment
Description
Written examination or optional oral examination only for students who will undertake a written assignment / paper.
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Summative)
  • Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Summative)
  • Written Assignment (Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
C. Mango (επιμ.), Πανεπιστήμιο της Οξφόρδης. Ιστορία του Βυζαντίου, μτφρ. Ο. Καραγιώργου, επιμ. ελλ. έκδ. Γ. Μωυσείδου, Αθήνα 2006. Ι. Ε. Καραγιαννόπουλος, Ιστορία Βυζαντινού κράτους. Τόμος Β´. Ιστορία Μέσης Βυζαντινής περιόδου (565-1081), Θεσσαλονίκη 1992
Additional bibliography for study
• A. H. M. Jones, Τhe Later Roman Empire 284-602. A Social, Economic and Administrative Survey, τ. 1-3, Oxford 1964 • Ιστορία του ελληνικού έθνους (Εκδοτική Αθηνών). Τόμος Ζ´. Βυζαντινός ελληνισμός. Πρωτοβυζαντινοί χρόνοι, Αθήναι 1978, Τόμος Η΄. Η Βυζαντινή αυτοκρατορία του ελληνικού έθνους, 642-1071, Αθήναι 1979 • W. Treadgold, The Byzantine Revival, 780-842, Stanford California 1988 • W. Treadgold, Byzantium and its Army 284-1081, Stanford California 1995 • A. Demandt, Die Spätantike. Römische Geschichte von Diocletian bis Justinian, 284-565 n.Chr., München 1989 • Αικ. Χριστοφιλοπούλου, Βυζαντινή ιστορία. Α´ 324-610, Θεσσαλονίκη 21996, Β΄1 610-867, Θεσσαλονίκη 21998, Β΄2 867-1081, Θεσσαλονίκη 21997 • G. Dagron, Η γέννηση μιας πρωτεύουσας. Η Κωνσταντινούπολη και οι θεσμοί της, 330-451, μτφρ. Μ. Λουκάκη Αθήνα 2000 • Ι. Ε. Καραγιαννόπουλος, Το Βυζαντινό κράτος, Θεσσαλονίκη 42001 • Κ. E. Πλακογιαννάκης, Ελληνική ανατολική αυτοκρατορία των μέσων αιώνων. Τιμητικοί τίτλοι και ενεργά αξιώματα στο Βυζάντιο. Εθιμοτυπία, διοίκηση, στρατός, Αθήνα 2001 • W. Brandes, Finanzverwaltung in Krisenzeiten. Untersuchungen zur byzantinischen Administration im 6.-9. Jahrhundert, Frankfurt a.M. 2002 • Α. Καρπόζηλος, Βυζαντινοί ιστορικοί και χρονογράφοι. Τόμος Α´ (4ος-7ος αι.), Αθήνα 1997, Τόμος Β´ (8ος-10ος αι.), Αθήνα 2002, Τόμος Γ´ (11ος-12ος αι.), Αθήνα 2009 • Αικ. Χριστοφιλοπούλου, Το πολίτευμα και οι θεσμοί της Bυζαντινής αυτοκρατορίας 324-1204. Κράτος - διοίκηση - οικονομία - κοινωνία, Αθήνα 2004 • J. F. Haldon, The Palgrave Atlas of Byzantine History, New York 2005 • Α. Ε. Λαΐου (γεν. εποπτ.), Οικονομική ιστορία του Βυζαντίου από τον 7ο έως τον 15ο αιώνα, επιστημ. επιτρ. C. Morrisson - X. Mπούρας - Ν. Οικονομίδης - Κ. Πιτσάκης, Αθήνα 2006 • C. Morrisson (διεύθ.), O βυζαντινός κόσμος. Τόμος Α´. Η Ανατολική Ρωμαϊκή αυτοκρατορία (330-641), μτφρ. Α. Καραστάθη. επιμ. Α. Μυλωνοπούλου, εισαγ. Τ. Κιουσοπούλου, Αθήνα 2007 • Γ. Α. Λεβενιώτης, Η πολιτική κατάρρευση του Βυζαντίου στην Ανατολή. Το ανατολικό σύνορο και η κεντρική Μικρά Ασία κατά το β´ ήμισυ του 11ου αι., τ. 1-2, Θεσσαλονίκη 2007. • J.-Cl. Cheynet (διεύθ.), O βυζαντινός κόσμος. Τόμος Β´. Η Βυζαντινή αυτοκρατορία (641-1204), μτφρ. Α. Καραστάθη, επιμ. Γ. Μωυσείδου - Α. Παπασυριόπουλος - Α. Μαραγκάκη, Αθήνα 2011 • L. Brubaker - J. Haldon, Byzantium in the Iconoclastic Era, c. 680-850: A History, Cambridge - New York 2011
Last Update
11-03-2020